The Angels’ long search for a new owner has ended with a name St. Louis knows all too well: Stan Kroenke.
Arte Moreno has agreed to sell the franchise for a record amount, and the change instantly gives the Angels a very different feel. It also brings one of baseball’s newest powerful owners into the sport just months before an existential lockout, while likely pushing up valuations across MLB and setting the stage for more franchise sales.
For Cardinals fans, though, the most immediate reaction is personal. A Kroenke-owned Angels club now has a direct line to St. Louis, and that alone is enough to make this a story worth watching closely.
There is already plenty of overlap between the two organizations. John Mozeliak, the longtime Cardinals general manager, is now serving in the same role for the Angels on an interim basis.
Recent chatter has suggested he could keep the job permanently after strong showings in the draft and at the trade deadline. If that happens, the expectation is that he could bring some Cardinals people with him, including director of scouting Randy Flores.
That said, a new owner changes the picture. Kroenke may have his own ideas about how he wants the Angels run, and Mozeliak’s history with him is not exactly warm. Mozeliak publicly expressed his frustration with Kroenke’s decision to move the Rams to Los Angeles a decade ago.
That tension is hardly unique to Mozeliak. The Rams’ departure was widely hated in St.
Louis, and Kroenke has long been a lightning rod in the city for obvious reasons. The move also helped set off a broader wave of anxiety about franchise relocations, with the Chargers and Raiders later leaving for Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
Even with all that in the background, there is still a path where the two sides patch things together. Mozeliak and Kroenke could, in theory, move past the old baggage and work side by side.
The same goes for Albert Pujols, who could re-enter the mix for the Angels’ long-term manager opening after being shut out last offseason. But no matter how the rest of the staffing shakeout unfolds, Kroenke is not going to be a popular figure in St. Louis.
And if the Angels come to town now, that old resentment is going to be front and center.
For all the local anger, Kroenke’s arrival also comes with a different kind of expectation. He has already won championships in the NBA with the Nuggets, in the NHL with the Avalanche and in the NFL with the Rams. The World Series title is the one prize still missing.
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Cardinals May Have A Faster Path In Mind For Rainiel Rodriguez
Rainiel Rodriguez has already given the Cardinals plenty to think about with the bat, moving quickly through High-A and Double-A while continuing to look like one of the organizations most intriguing young hitters. At 19, he is still early in the development process, but St. Louis appears to be weighing whether his fastest route to the majors may not be tied strictly to catching, even as he continues to show he can handle the offensive side of the game.
Assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio said Rodriguez has already gotten some work at first base, and the Cardinals plan to explore additional defensive positions for him this offseason. With other catching prospects in the system and a bigger long-term need at third base or first base, the club seems open to a more flexible path if it helps Rodriguez reach St. Louis sooner. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Catch A Dodgers Break They Really Did Not Need
The Dodgers are getting healthier at a bad time for the Cardinals, who have spent plenty of the season trying to keep pace with the reigning powers in the National League. Los Angeles activated Will Smith, Dalton Rushing and Justin Wrobleski from the injured list and added Alex Freeland to the active roster, a reminder that the club is beginning to fill back in pieces that had been missing for a while.
For St. Louis, the biggest name in the group is Smith, whose return comes after nearly three months away with a neck injury. The Dodgers had to clear space by optioning Alek Thomas and designating Ben Rortvedt for assignment, but the broader picture is more concerning for opponents: a lineup and pitching staff that were already deep are getting closer to full strength again. [Read more 🡒]
Victor Scott Just Put Cardinals Center Field Back In Play
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St. Louis does not have a crowded center field picture heading into the 2027 season, which keeps the door open for Scott if the progress holds. He still has work to do, but with limited competition and a skill set the organization has long valued, the 24-year-old has moved himself back into the conversation as a possible solution in center field. [Read more 🡒]